Waxing Moon and Mercury with Labels (May 2, 2022)

The two-day-old waxing crescent Moon with Earthshine, above Mercury at right, then 4 days past its greatest elongation from the Sun, in the evening sky of May 2, 2022. The star Aldebaran is at left, and below Mercury to the right is the Pleiades, just visible in the twilight and thin clouds. This is a single 1.6-second exposure with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at 70mm and f/2.8 and Canon Ra at ISO 100. Taken from home in Alberta at 51° North latitude. A mild Orton glow effect added with Luminar Neo.

Waxing Moon and Mercury (May 2, 2022)

The two-day-old waxing crescent Moon with Earthshine, above Mercury at right, then 4 days past its greatest elongation from the Sun, in the evening sky of May 2, 2022. The star Aldebaran is at left, and below Mercury to the right is the Pleiades, just visible in the twilight and thin clouds. This is a single 1.6-second exposure with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at 70mm and f/2.8 and Canon Ra at ISO 100. Taken from home in Alberta at 51° North latitude. A mild Orton glow effect added with Luminar Neo.

Venus & Jupiter in Close Conjunction at Dawn (70mm)

Venus (brightest) and Jupiter in close conjunction low at dawn on April 30, 2022, as shot from home in Alberta at 51° North latitude. The two planets were under 30 arc minutes apart this morning, about the diameter of the Moon. This is a single 2-second exposure with the RF70-200mm lens at 70mm and f/4 and the red-sensitive Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 100.

Venus & Jupiter in Close Conjunction at Dawn (200mm)

Venus (brightest) and Jupiter in close conjunction low at dawn on April 30, 2022, as shot from home in Alberta at 51° North latitude. The two planets were under 30 arc minutes apart this morning, about the diameter of the Moon. This is a single 2-second exposure with the RF70-200mm lens at 200mm and f/4 and the red-sensitive Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 200.

Mercury in the Spring Evening Sky

Mercury (at right, below the Pleiades star cluster) in the spring evening sky during its best appearance for the year in the evening twilight. This was April 24, 2022, four days before its greatest eastern elongation (meaning it is east of the Sun, but in the western sky). The Hyades star cluster and the star Aldebaran are at upper left. Though the stars of Taurus are prominent, Mercury itself was over the constellation border in Aries this night. It was at magnitude -0.2, and was easily visible to the naked eye. This is a single 5-second exposure with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at 64mm, and f/2.8 and Canon EOS Ra at ISO 400. Taken from home in Alberta at latitude 51° N.

Four-Planet Array and the Moon (April 24, 2022)

This is the much publicized "planet parade" or "planet alignment" of April 2022, with four planets across the dawn sky this day, April 24. But from my latitude of 51° N the dawn sky was getting very bright by the time the lowest planet, Jupiter, rose. Only Venus was easily visible to the eye, but the camera picked up the other three. Even so I had to emphasize their appearance with a soft glow around each planet to make them stand out. This is a single 0.8-second exposure with the Canon Ra at ISO 100 and Canon RF 28-70mm lens at f/4 and 35mm focal length. Taken from home in southern Alberta.

Four-Planet Array and the Moon (April 24, 2022) with Labels

This is the much publicized "planet parade" or "planet alignment" of April 2022, with four planets across the dawn sky this day, April 24. But from my latitude of 51° N the dawn sky was getting very bright by the time the lowest planet, Jupiter, rose. Only Venus was easily visible to the eye, but the camera picked up the other three. Even so I had to emphasize their appearance with a soft glow around each planet to make them stand out. This is a single 0.8-second exposure with the Canon Ra at ISO 100 and Canon RF 28-70mm lens at f/4 and 35mm focal length. Taken from home in southern Alberta.

Four Planet Array with Labels (April 16, 2022)

This is the much publicized "planet parade" or "planet alignment" of April 2022, with four planets almost equally spaced this day (April 16) across the morning sky. But from my latitude of 51° N the dawn sky was getting very bright by the time the lowest planet, Jupiter, rose. Only Venus was visible to the eye, but the camera picked up the other three. Even so I had to emphasize their appearance with a soft glow around each planet to make them stand out. This is a single 1/5-second exposure with the Canon Ra at ISO 100 and Canon RF 28-70mm lens at f/4 and 43mm focal length. Taken from home in southern Alberta.

Four Planet Array (April 16, 2022)

This is the much publicized "planet parade" or "planet alignment" of April 2022, with four planets almost equally spaced this day (April 16) across the morning sky. But from my latitude of 51° N the dawn sky was getting very bright by the time the lowest planet, Jupiter, rose. Only Venus was visible to the eye, but the camera picked up the other three. Even so I had to emphasize their appearance with a soft glow around each planet to make them stand out. This is a single 1/5-second exposure with the Canon Ra at ISO 100 and Canon RF 28-70mm lens at f/4 and 43mm focal length. Taken from home in southern Alberta.

Moon and Three Planets at Dawn (with Labels) (March 27, 2022)

The rising waning crescent Moon west of the trio of dawn planets: Venus (brightest), Mars (to the right) and Saturn (to the lower left) clustered together low in the southeast on March 27, 2022. They were all grouped in Capricornus at this time. This was from home in Alberta at my latitude of 51° N. The Moon was unusually low as it was near its maximum of 5° below the ecliptic at this time. By coincidence, the band of darker clouds more or less marks the line of the ecliptic. This is a single shot with the RF70-200mm lens at 80mm and f/4 and the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 400 for 3.2 seconds. This version has labels and lines.

Moon and Three Planets at Dawn (March 27, 2022)

The rising waning crescent Moon west of the trio of dawn planets: Venus (brightest), Mars (to the right) and Saturn (to the lower left) clustered together low in the southeast on March 27, 2022. They were all grouped in Capricornus at this time. This was from home in Alberta at my latitude of 51° N. The Moon was unusually low as it was near its maximum of 5° below the ecliptic at this time. By coincidence, the band of darker clouds more or less marks the line of the ecliptic. This is a single shot with the RF70-200mm lens at 80mm and f/4 and the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 400 for 3.2 seconds.

Planet Trio at Dawn (March 23, 2022)

The grouping of Venus (brightest at upper centre), flanked by Saturn (lower left and embedded in the bright twilight) and Mars (lower right), all very low in the southeast dawn sky on March 23, 2022. Venus was then near its greatest elongation west of the Sun. This is a single image (1 second at f/4) with the 70-200mm RF zoom lens at 74mm and Canon EOS Ra at ISO 200, taken from home in southern Alberta. A more tightly framed version shot at a longer focal length is also available.

Planet Trio at Dawn Close-Up (March 23, 2022)

A close-up framing of the grouping of Venus (brightest at upper centre), flanked by Saturn (lower left and embedded in the bright twilight) and Mars (lower right), all very low in the southeast dawn sky on March 23, 2022. Venus was then near its greatest elongation west of the Sun. This is a single image (1 second at f/4) with the 70-200mm RF zoom lens at 126mm and Canon EOS Ra at ISO 200, taken from home in southern Alberta. A more widely framed context version shot at a shorter focal length is also available.

Conjunction of the Crescent Moon and Jupiter

This is the wide conjunction of the 1.5-day-old crescent Moon below Jupiter in the southwest evening sky of February 2, 2022. The two worlds appeared 4.5° apart at this time. Earthshine is visible on the "dark side of the Moon." Taken from home in southern Alberta on an evening with the temperature at -20° C and a brisk wind! This is a single 1.6-second exposure with the Canon 70-200mm f/4 RF lens at f/4 and 84mm focal length, and with the Canon Ra camera at ISO 100. Diffraction spikes on Jupiter added with Astronomy Tools actions.

Venus Near Inferior Conjunction (Jan. 11, 2022)

Venus on January 11, 2022, three days after its January 8, 2022 inferior conjunction with the Sun, when it was as close to Earth as it had been in a century. At maximum, its disk on conjunction day was 62.9 arc seconds across. When I shot this at midday, Venus was a little farther away from Earth and its disk smaller at 60 arc seconds across. Venus was 7° away from the Sun when I shot this image, but it was just under 5° above the Sun on January 8. Even so, even 7° away from the Sun, sunlight was glaring into the telescope and scattering around the field, as I made no effort to shade the optics other than use the telescope's normal dew cap extension tube. This is a stack of 4 of the sharpest images out of a set of 45 short-exposure still images taken in rapid succession, using the Astro-Physics 130mm refractor with a 2X Barlow for an effective focal length of 1600mm, and using the Canon R6 camera. These were not frames extracted from a movie. The image has been cropped into the central 50% of the frame.

Four Planets in Twilight on New Year's Eve (with Labels)

The array of four planets in the evening twilight on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2021, and on a very chilly night with the temperature at -25° C. Thus the steam from the distant power plant. Mercury was climbing higher toward its January 7, 2022 greatest elongation, while Venus was descending lower toward its January 9 inferior conjunction with the Sun. They passed each other this night and so were at almost the same altitude low in the southwest. Jupiter (upper left) and Saturn (centre) were also dropping lower each night to also disappear close to the Sun in early 2022, Saturn in early February and Jupiter in early March for their respective solar conjunctions. This is a single 1/4-second exposure with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 38mm on the Canon Ra at ISO 100. Taken from Highway 1 and Sec 561 intersection in southern Alberta. This version has labels and line; a version without is available.

Four Planets in Twilight on New Year's Eve

The array of four planets in the evening twilight on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2021, and on a very chilly night with the temperature at -25° C. Thus the steam from the distant power plant. Mercury was climbing higher toward its January 7, 2022 greatest elongation, while Venus was descending lower toward its January 9 inferior conjunction with the Sun. They passed each other this night and so were at almost the same altitude low in the southwest. Jupiter (upper left) and Saturn (centre) were also dropping lower each night to also disappear close to the Sun in early 2022, Saturn in early February and Jupiter in early March for their respective solar conjunctions. This is a single 1/4-second exposure with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 38mm on the Canon Ra at ISO 100. Taken from Highway 1 and Sec 561 intersection in southern Alberta. A version with labels and the ecliptic line is available.

Mercury and Venus on New Year's Eve 2021

Mercury (at left) and Venus (at right) at the same altitude low in the evening twilight on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2021, and on a very chilly night with the temperature at -25° C. Thus the steam from the distant power plant. Mercury was climbing higher toward its January 7 greatest elongation, while Venus was descending lower toward its January 9 inferior conjunction with the Sun. They passed each other this night. This is a single 0.4-second exposure with the Canon RF 24-105mm lens at 96mm on the Canon R6 at ISO 100. Taken from Highway 1 and Sec 561 intersection in southern Alberta.

Four Planets at Dusk with Labels (December 27, 2021)

Four planets across the evening sky on December 27, 2021, with Mercury very low and just entering the evening sky at this time, so appears just above the horizon. Venus is bright above it, as was exiting the evening sky at the end of 2021. Saturn is at centre, with Jupiter at upper left. Taken from home in southern Alberta. The temperature was a frosty -35° C this night. This is a single 0.4-sec exposure with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at f/2.8 and Canon Ra at ISO 100. I've added the labels and the ecliptic line. A version without labels and lines is available.

Four Planets at Dusk (December 27, 2021)

Four planets across the evening sky on December 27, 2021, with Mercury very low and just entering the evening sky at this time, so appears just above the horizon. Venus is bright above it, as was exiting the evening sky at the end of 2021. Saturn is at centre, with Jupiter at upper left. Taken from home in southern Alberta. The temperature was a frosty -35° C this night. This is a single 0.4-sec exposure with the Canon RF28-70mm lens at f/2.8 and Canon Ra at ISO 100. A version with labels is available.

Three-Planet Line-Up in Evening Twilight v2 (Dec 17, 2021)

The line-up of three evening planets in the southwest twilight sky, on December 17, 2021 — with Jupiter at top left, Venus at bottom right, and dimmer Saturn in the middle, all defining the line of the ecliptic in the cold winter sky this night. The stars of Capricornus are at centre. The foreground is lit by moonlight from the waxing gibbous Moon in the northeast, opposite this scene which looks southwest. A single 8s exposure with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 39mm, and Canon Ra at ISO 200. Shot in hope of also catching Comet Leonard below Venus but no luck! It was too faint and lost in the wispy clouds. V1 of this image was shot 10 minutes earlier with brighter twilight colors but fewer stars and a darker foreground. Diffraction spikes added with AstronomyTools actions.

Three-Planet Line-Up in Evening Twilight v1 (Dec 17, 2021)

The line-up of three evening planets in the southwest twilight sky, on December 17, 2021 — with Jupiter at top left, Venus at bottom right, and dimmer Saturn in the middle, all defining the line of the ecliptic in the cold winter sky this night. The stars of Capricornus are at centre. A single 6s exposure with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 39mm, and Canon Ra at ISO 100. V2 of this image was shot 10 minutes later with less intense twilight colors but more stars in a darker sky and with a brighter moonlit foreground.

The Moon and Three Planets Over Bow River with Lines and Labels

This is the line-up of planets across the southwestern sky on December 6, 2021, consisting of (L to R): Jupiter, Saturn and Venus, with the 2.5-day-old waxing crescent Moon in conjunction below Venus. The Moon had eclipsed the Sun two days before on December 4, when it was on the ecliptic. Two days later it was below the ecliptic line. Jupiter and Saturn are in Capricornus, with its stars all visible here in the evening twilight. The three planets are nicely equally spaced. Such an array makes the ecliptic line visible. The location is overlooking the Bow River, on the Buffalo Rock Road on the Siksika Nation near Blackfoot Crossing, Alberta. This is a blend of 4 exposures: 8s, 4s, 2s and 1s to retain details and colours in the brightest part of the twilight sky at right and on the Moon's disk lit with Earthshine. All were at f/2.8 and ISO 400 with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 33mm and red-sensitive Canon EOS Ra. Taken in "blue hour." I added a mild Orton glow with Luminar AI. The 4 images were masked initially with ADP Pro but I then painted the masked manually to eliminate most of the sky from the shorter exposures leaving just the brightest part of the sunset glow without stars, so avoid multiple star images from the untracked camera. This is the version with lines and labels added in to mark the ecliptic and constellation pattern. There is a version without the overlays.

The Moon and Three Planets Over Bow River

This is the line-up of planets across the southwestern sky on December 6, 2021, consisting of (L to R): Jupiter, Saturn and Venus, with the 2.5-day-old waxing crescent Moon in conjunction below Venus. The Moon had eclipsed the Sun two days before on December 4, when it was on the ecliptic. Two days later it was below the ecliptic line. Jupiter and Saturn are in Capricornus, with its stars all visible here in the evening twilight. The three planets are nicely equally spaced. Such an array makes the ecliptic line visible. The location is overlooking the Bow River, on the Buffalo Rock Road on the Siksika Nation near Blackfoot Crossing, Alberta. This is a blend of 4 exposures: 8s, 4s, 2s and 1s to retain details and colours in the brightest part of the twilight sky at right and on the Moon's disk lit with Earthshine. All were at f/2.8 and ISO 400 with the Canon RF 28-70mm lens at 33mm and red-sensitive Canon EOS Ra. Taken in "blue hour." I added a mild Orton glow with Luminar AI. The 4 images were masked initially with ADP Pro but I then painted the masked manually to eliminate most of the sky from the shorter exposures leaving just the brightest part of the sunset glow without stars, so avoid multiple star images from the untracked camera. There is a version with lines and labels added in to mark the ecliptic and constellation pattern.